PNG beat NZ in touch rugby

By GYNNIE KERO
CAPTAIN Nate Wood helped Papua New Guinea pull off a 2-1 win over New Zealand in the Touch Rugby League World Cup final in Queensland, Australia, on Friday.
“Words can’t describe the euphoria we felt when that try was scored and our brothers and sisters came onto the field to congratulate us,” PNG player Christian Pang said.
The World Cup was held at the Purtell Park in Brisbane from Thursday to Friday.
The 22-year-old told The National yesterday that “we went undefeated through the pool games to finish first overall and win a ticket to the grand final”.
“In the grand final, we played a star-studded New Zealand team, who were fresh off a victory against Australia,” he said.
In the first play of the game, DeShaun Lifu-Bray caught a spiralling kick-off and ran the length of the field to score a memorable try.
Tireless defence kept the New Zealanders out, Pang defused a cross-field bomb to keep the opposition from scoring an AFL try (marking the ball in the in-goal, which is worth two points).
Sturdy defence kept the New Zealanders from scoring a single point in the first half, going into the break with a 1-0 scoreline.
The second half was a war of attrition, it was clear that the better defensive team would win the game.
After countless sets at the PNG line, New Zealand finally cracked it, scoring on the wing. As the clock wound down, New Zealand looked for another cross-field bomb, which Ravu Henao intercepted.
Later, in a two-on-one situation, Nate Haembo intercepted the ball by batting it up to himself and diving to catch it before it hit the grass, saving what would have been a certain try.
At the end of regulation time, the score was tied at 1-1.
In the first set of golden point overtime, Marlon Doak accelerated past the defense and passed to Ravu Henao to streak away the left side and put the ball down.
As the PNG team and supporters flooded the field, the referee and touch judge conferred and eventually decided that it was a no try, as he stepped out.
With the buzzer looming, Lifu-Bray sidestepped a defender and passed to captain Nate Wood, who dived over for the winning try.
That try sealed the game and won PNG its first World Cup in any sport.
“We knew that we had done something special as a team and for our nation,” Pang said.
“I still get goosebumps looking at the photos of our team embracing one another.
“A big congratulations to the PNG women and Over-30s which my brother Charles represented who made their respective semifinals, making it an extremely successful day for our nation.”
The Brisbane-born basketballer said he was awaiting his citizenship so he could represent the country.
“I can’t wait to have my citizenship approved so I can proudly represent my nation again in basketball, and hopefully bring similar glory.”